Sabera Shaik – Owner of Cik Sabi Kitchen KL

Sabera Shaik

In this interview, Sabera Shaik, owner of Cik Sabi Kitchen and founder of Masakini Theatre Company Sdn. Bhd., tells of her growth over the pandemic.

What do you do?

I do many things, and among them is run a theatre where I act, direct and produce. I have several solo works under my belt and have travelled the world, performing them from Delhi to Brazil. Besides that, I also create shadow theatre works. The pandemic has put a pause to all our activities except for Zoom readings and training with my group of actors.

How did you get into the industry?

I have always loved baking and cooking and owned a bakery for 16 years. I am proud to say we were way ahead of our time -producing artisanal bread, health and gluten-free bread in the late 1980s.

In 1986 I bought over a bakery in Kenny Hills. I had a shophouse factory in Segambut where I experimented with bread recipes and helped several customers with their allergies and other ailments. Those were the days when I would research so many subjects about the food we were using in the bakery. Ultimately, a lot of the products used by the previous owners were taken out of our purchase list. Topaz Cakehouse & Bakery in Kenny Hills positioned itself as a healthy place to eat and drink. And although I sold it off 16 years later, I have not stopped baking or cooking for friends and family.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

In the old days, when I had my bakery, I was wont to work alone on Sundays, baking cakes in our two-tiered oven from early morning till late evening. The front door would permanently be closed but not locked, and sometimes it was wide open to allow for ventilation. One Sunday, while I was baking, the door swung open and in walked this tall gentleman who lived in the neighbourhood.

He came right into the kitchen and asked me what I had for sale. I replied that these were all hotcakes just out of the oven, and they were for first thing tomorrow morning. I think there were about 24 cakes on the table and more in the oven. He nodded, looked at me for a long while and said, “I want them all!” What? I thought. Are you mad? Who can eat so much cake? “And,” he said, “all those in the oven too!”

Can you imagine how much longer I had to work that Sunday to make a decent number of cakes for the next day? But it was a thrill to sell that many cakes in one go!

What’s a food memory from your childhood or travels that stands out?

I like to know the original taste of foods, so I try out traditional cakes and food whenever I travel. One time I was in Venice with my friend, the late Ramli Hassan. As we walked around, we passed so many bakeries. All had delectable looking sweets, some traditional from that area and some not. I went into almost all the bakeries and bought everything and anything I fancied. I would swirl a small portion of the cake in my mouth, get the taste of them and spit them out. Ramli was incredulous! “What are you going to do with all these then?” he asked. Well, he ended up eating them all! I will never forget this episode – one of the best times in my travels.

Sabera Shaik’s favourite food and beverage pairing?

Simplicity is key to my food preferences—pineapple and mint water with fried red rice and sambal ijo.

What’s one of the craziest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?

I went for dinner in a 5-star hotel once and spied, in their open concept kitchen, a tin of recycled oil. Hmm…

The perfect day off would be…

… pottering in my kitchen armed with a new recipe and having friends try the outcome. A swim and then a book to read till I fall asleep.

A day in the life of Sabera Shaik…

… starts early in the morning. I prep and cook according to the time I have slotted for each activity. Cooking ends half an hour before packing, and then they go on their merry way to our customers, friends and family.

What do you do for fun?

The theatre. Horsing around with my actors. Laughing. Always laughing. But there are some profound moments too.

What’s something you’d like people to know about being a chef as a profession?

It is a 24/7 job. If you are not cooking, you are experimenting or looking for the best possible ingredients, the best possible way to make something, the best recipe… the list goes on.

What’s your view on the food/drink scene in KL?

It was vibrant before the pandemic – with many eateries serving food of high quality. You were spoilt for choice.

How has the pandemic changed you as a person?

The pandemic has taught me the importance of being close to people that matter to me. And also to work as quickly and efficiently so you can free up your time for other things/people that matter. Also, time seems to pass so much faster these days… or is it just me?

How has the pandemic changed you as a chef?

It hasn’t changed me that much. I have always believed in quality, and that is something I think I should still give in the foods we do at Cik Sabi’s.

Find more interviews similar to this one with Sabera Shaik here. And, stay up to date with the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.